Cutting edge technology refers to technology which is newly developed, being done as a recent world first.
Others succeeded in doing what AGY is trying to do some time before AGY first made the attempt. AGY has never succeeded at production at commercial scale and regardless of whatever is or isn't happening behind the scenes, has demonstrated zero progress in about half a decade (and even half a decade ago others were already doing it). Exactly which edge is Pablo cutting? Even if he succeeds tomorrow and the plant is running at name plate, which edge will he have cut?
It's all fine and lovely to say things take time, but time alone does not guarantee success. The world is full of failed projects, including many which seemed promising. It's perfectly cheerful and dandy to assume that progress is being made behind the scenes, but at what point do you need to see at least some actual evidence of progress to be sure it is being made? How long with no actual tangible evidence of progress would it take you to personally be concerned? Five years clearly isn't enough, so, in another five years would you still be saying "Wow, it has been SO long now! They must have made SO MUCH progress behind the scenes! It doesn't even matter if they haven't increased production rate, these things TAKE TIME!"?
I was trusting enough to believe them when they said they had learned what they needed from the pilot plant, but if that was true, commissioning wouldn't have been delayed by this long. I was happy enough for some time to accept that things take time and delays are to be expected, but at some point you have to say 'Okay, this isn't looking good, I'm looking for the door'. For me that point came last year, I started looking for the door (definitely wanting to be out before the CR) and when we had a spike in the high teens I took the exit. How long is it for you before you are concerned? Another six months? A year? Two Years? Five? A decade? If it takes 20 more years will you still be saying 'It takes time, delays are to be expected, it's been so long now that they must be *really* close, and JZ tells me production ramp up is imminent!'?
Serious question. For you, how long is too long?
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